Pizza

Pizza, whoever designed this was a genius. You have a delicious food that includes your grains, your vegetables, meats, and dairy all in one tasty easy to eat package that you can hold in your hand. Pizza has to be one of my favorite foods due to its overall appeal. The aroma, the flavor and the look some how just has a delicious factor. I've eaten really bad pizza just because it was still pizza. You would think the sauce would make the dough soggy, but it warms up and compliments it nicely. I'm guessing the heating process thickens the sauce by causing moisture to evaporate. And that steam probably rises to melt, but not burn, the cheese. Brilliant. I read that pizza originated from the Greeks who used to rub oils and herbs on their bread. Then a small town in Sicily, Italy, had a shop that put tomatoes on top of their bread, later in 1889 adding cheese, then creating the modern day pizza.

lighted cap

This is a baseball cap with a solar panel on the bill and led lights underneath so the wearer can see whats in front of them at night. I like the idea. I'm assuming its intended for campers and backpackers. If you were to use this around the house to fix things under the sink or in dark places I'm sure you wouldn't want to leave your hat outside for a few hours first. From what I know it doesn't have a battery back up. Being an Eagle Scout I would have loved to have this on the trips i went on. It would have saved a lot of time finding a flashlight and trying to set it up somehow while starting a fire or setting up a tent. Hands free light is a must in the pitch black dark while camping. It doesn't say how long it needs to charge or how long the charge holds, and would it work if it rains all weekend? Those things would be good to know before getting stuck somewhere with it. Honestly, due to those factors, mainly the one about it being charged by the sun, I'm not if I would invest in it. You can always bring more batteries with you on a camping trip for a conventional flash light.

Floating Stairs

I think I'm really starting to like things that float. These are floating stairs. They are designed to look as if there is no frame or supporting structure for the steps. The glass on the side had to be there for the support and it looks like the steps are bolted somehow into the glass. There is something about the magic effect of floating that really appeals to me. It maybe the inner self that always wanted to fly. My concern with this design is the glass and the space between the steps. I'm sure the glass sound enough, but if you got a crack in it somehow and didn't know, and it broke while you were walking down the steps, that would not be good. Also if you have small children or pets, there is a possibility of falling through or getting caught. I would suggest these for a bachelor pad, young trendy couple or a contemporary office. People like to mount their TVs so it looks like it's floating, why not more things?

The minimalist watering can

This is called the minimalist watering can. It was designed to water your household plants while keeping the water where it needs to go, in the plant vase. Conventional cans you have to tip with the possibility of the water coming out of the top or running down the side ruining carpet or the like. This simple design allows you to easily navigate the water where ever you want with the rubber house. It says there is a built in magnet in the hose to attach it to the side. I think this is a great idea, the only downside I thought of was having to use both hands, but compared to getting water everywhere seems to be a fair trade.One other possible downside is due to its height it might be hard to fill in some sinks. Don't be surprised if you see these in Target or somewhere soon.

Comedy Posters

So, I got to thinking. What is going on with big red letters, or the color red in general and comedy movie poster? Maybe the public hasn't noticed this yet or maybe the movie company advertising teams all got together and decided what color was going to represent funny movies so people subconsciously relate humor with the color red. Who knows. I like the color red with the big fonts and strait forward letters. It does for some reason have that, hey this is going to be a funny movie look to it. It's strange because people always associate red with danger, and no or stop. Wikipedia also says its associated with anger, sex, passion, sin, and pain. Some countries do associate it with luck and happiness. The only thing I could find on the web about the assocaiton with red letters and comedy movies was a spoof that collegehumor.com did about red text, so I guess I'm not the only one that noticed.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Website Background

This is an awesomely designed background for a website.

As you scroll down the page the image changes to something different. It is a very simple design but it has a huge effect I thought. At first you don't really notice it as you read the page and scroll down slowly, but once I realized that the sides were different it made me wonder how they had changed. I sped up the scrolling and figured out how they did it. I'm guessing both images are always there in the background and then they use the color gray that fades to black in the foreground to filter out which image is being shown at the certain spot in the page. That is a really cool idea. I feel that same idea could be used in other types of advertising or billboards. Simple yet effective design.

fold up helmet

This thing. This is a fold up textile helmet for walkers or cyclists called a "TopUp". My first reaction to this was, "are you kidding me?" It looks ridiculous. I would never be caught wearing one that's for sure. Those people look like Toad from Mario Brothers. The idea on the other had is some what of a good one depending on how well it holds up. It is a cloth, light weight, compactable helmet that is supposed to be an alternative to a rigid hard helmet that is awkward to store on your person while not using it. I can see the space saving idea as a good one but most hard helmets are already light weight, and I'm not really sure how safe I would feel with a cloth helmet. It has a "honeycomb" like structure to reduce impact but who knows how well that will work really? I personally think this is a terrible design for a helmet.

last.fm

Last.fm is a digital music site and new application for xbox live that allows user to log on, search for an artist and listen to that artists and others similar to them streaming live. The design of the program is to provide music at no cost to the listener but with limited accessibility by not being able to choose the actual song. While the media is streaming, photos of the artist play in the background and album and artist information come up as well. I really like this design because I am always doing stuff around the house and don't have a radio, and If I did I wouldn't listen to it because I hate the radio. This is an amazing alternative for someone like myself to turn on their xbox and tv and listen to their favorite artists while doing house hold chores or homework. Brilliant. The design of the logo is simple yet unique. The animation that goes along with it draws the a into the s and disappears creating a brief infinity symbol which on music playing devices is the loop button. I like that too. Pandora is a very similar service but I would give this one a shot first.

Floating Bookshelf

I really like this design. The idea of having a bookshelf without the bookshelf has a sort of magical effect to it and not only looks appealing on the wall but also triggers the brain to think about what is missing and how did they do that? I used this design for my bedroom on a larger scale covering the entire wall with books without having a "bookshelf". The effect is very powerful. Seeming that bookshelves can vary from 40 dollars to well over a few hundred dollars, it is a cheap alternative to buy the hidden brackets at fraction of the cost. It also saves time and energy during times of moving because you don't have to lug around or take apart a large wooden or metal structure.

wireless charging mat

The wireless charging mat is a device designed to charge your portable devices such as cellphones, ipods, and portable video games, wirelessly by placing your device on the "power mat". This product looks cool and that is about it. I looked further into this and actually interacted with one at a Best Buy. The design of the mat looks like a small skateboard which has a coolness factor built in but the mat has to be plugged into a wall, obviously to send power to the mat. The portable devices that rest on the mat have two options to receive juice. One, use the provided power cube which has a cord with a plug on the end that comes with exchangeable adapters to fit your device. Then you set your device on the mat and the power cube which is wired to your device sends the juice. So pretty much you have to take more steps to charge your device "wirelessly". The other option is to buy a case that has the cube built in. 2 problems with this. This case makes your device twice the size with a hard rectangle on the back, and the those cases cost upwards to 40 dollars. With the pad costing 100 dollars to start this seems impractical. This design sounds great in theory, "charge your device wirelessly", but in all actuality it is terrible. You might as well buy a power strip from Wal Mart for 5 bucks and plug all your device's charger cords into that.

Football

The American football. The design of the football at first glance looks kind of weird. If Americans weren't used to what it looked like and also associated it with an amazing game would anyone really know what it was used for. It has an odd shape with laces only coming out of one side and white stripes on both ends but only on one half of the ball. And why is it made with the material and color used? Come to find out the ball was derived from the rugby ball which is similar in shape but larger and with rounder ends. The color of the ball come from the color of pigs bladders that were dried out and spread over the ball to prolong its life. Today the ball is made from leather case and rubber bladder. The white stripes are put there for better visibility of the ball and the laces are where the bladder is inserted. The laces also provide a grip to help throw the ball. The leather is also pressed to have tiny bumps to improve grip as well. The American footballs design has been slightly improved over time but the basic shape has pretty much stayed the same. Its cylindrical enough to be thrown through the air while round enough to be held and ran or kicked. I don't think there could be a better designed ball for American football.

Flask Flip Flop

This is a flip flop made by Reef that is not only a device made for walking but also drinking as well. Inside the sole of the flip flop there is flask that can hold anyone of your favorite beverages. I love this design. Instead of having to carry/ hide a flask in your pockets or belt when going to a concert or outdoor event you can conveniently hide it in something that you are already wearing that happen to be comfortable as well. The shoe even comes with a little funnel to help get the liquid inside. On the bottom of the shoe there is a gauge to see how much of the liquid is left. I can see some down falls of having to drink from your shoe, such as having to drink from your shoe. There could be a bit of a sanitation issue there if you didn't have something to pour the fluid into, especially if you stepped in mud. I could also see getting sand in your drink if you happen to be at the beach. At a price of 40 dollars I would have to consider buying this product. On one had it seems like a really handy device for certain times but on the other is it worth the hassle?

Joker Poster

This is a teaser poster for the move The Dark Knight which came out last year. I really like the design for this poster. The colors and over all texture and feel of it give a great sense of what the tone of the movie is going to be like. If people don't know who the dark night is, most people know what the Bat symbol is and how it is related to Batman. It also hints at who the main villain is going to be. The use of the Bat symbol with the graffiti eyes and the light hitting the brick wall gives a striking resemblance to the joker.The red for the bat symbol instead of the standard black definitely throws you off. But works great at emphasising who the face on the wall is. I think this poser is an extremely clever way to say a lot about a movie with out really saying anything at all. You know it's going to be dark, you know who the main characters are going to be, and those two things are enough to excite you to go see the movie to find out more.

Plastic Containers

The design of plastic containers in theory is a great one. I like the idea. I like what they do. They are a convenient way to store food and liquids, cheaply and effectively. They are stack able, reusable, microwaveable, dishwasher safe. If you drop them they wont break. Even plastic bottles from vending machines are a great storage design. Its an easy way to package a single or more serving of soda or other beverage neatly. You can even screw the cap back on if you aren't finished with your drink. Try that with glass bottles. I think all the greatness of these devices have blinded a lot of people of what these things are actually made from. I have always known they were made from petroleum but I don't think I actually analyzed that for food storage. What happens to plastic that is heated up? After doing some research I have come to the conclusion that storing and cooking food in plastic is only safe and a good idea if done properly. Only microwave plastic that is microwave safe and only freeze plastic that is freezer safe. I've also read not to have plastic wrap or storage bags touch your food in the microwave and use paper towels instead to cover your food. All this is due to chemicals that can be released into your food, which in turn will be released into your body. So use the design of plastic storage containers safely.

Macy's

For as long as I can remember I have never liked Macy's logo. Every thing about it I don't like, the type set, the red star, and the way they use the star instead of a '. I appreciate their tradition as a holiday season type store and the Thanksgiving Day parade they sponsor every year in New York. They might use the color red for the star in that manner, relating it to the Christmas season and also the star itself could resemble the star over Bethlehem. "Come to Macy's, follow the star." It gives it a nice feel holiday feel to it. But the reason I think I don't like this design, is because of that same star, and I'm surprised it didn't get changed around 50 years ago. The five pointed red star is the symbol for communism and also socialism which our country went to war for several time. Every time I see the star I think of Vietnam, and the Cold War with Russia. Not exactly what you want to relate your logo with. I feel it would be similar to a company today creating their logo that is similar to a Taliban or other terrorist organizations symbol. That is just bad advertising.

xbox 360 Laptop

Someone decided to design a xbox360 that would function as a laptop with full keyboard and hd display. I really like this design, possibly because I love video games, for the idea of being able to play video games where ever I go. I don't think that Microsoft licensed this product, but for future products should consider it. The laptop, I wouldn't consider, is not fully portable. You do have to plug it in where ever you go. I figure this is because of the huge amount of energy it takes run an xbox 360 and there probably isn't a decent sized battery that could handle the load and fit inside. I also read it weighs about 12 pounds which I don't think I would want to lug around. It is fully functional with the USB ports and 4 wireless controllers. It was also upgraded with the wireless Ethernet adapter. With 21.2 million people already owning a 360 and about 40% of Americans owning laptops, I wonder how many more would cough up the money to purchase one of these if they were available in retail stores. As much as I like this design, I don't think I would buy it until they found away to make it lighter and cheaper.

The coke bottle

The coke bottle I would consider an icon of American culture. When you look at it you know exactly what it is without even having to read what is on the label. For some reason I love the coke bottle design. It design with the red cap and cursive writing makes it look elegant and trustworthy. I know exactly what is inside of the bottle is going to taste like. The whole thing has a nostalgic feel to it. I did a some research and found that the famous logo was made in 1885 with Spencerian script which was the dominate formal handwriting for that time. I'm assuming they were marketing the drink to a classy to drink. The bottle design was made by Earl Dean via a contest that Coca Cola set up with its bottle distributors. They wanted something that would be recognizable immediately even if the bottle was broken. Dean was inspired by the cocoa plant pod, which in the original formula cocoa was used, and it's shape so he used that idea to form the bottle including its ridges. They have used logo and bottle designs ever since.

Megabus

You may have already seen these buses around town or possibly even ridden on one. The design of the Megabus is great, getting passengers from point a to point b cheaply and conveniently. They travel between Midwestern cities and I believe one other group of locations in the east. Their fare system is based on a first come, first served bases, where if you are the first to sign up for a seat on a specific day your fare can be as low as a dollar, where as if you are the last you would have to pay significantly more. The most I've payed for a two way ticket to Chicago was 26 dollars. That wouldn't even get me a tank of gas in my car. Great deal. They don't have bus stations and they don't have ticket counters. They use an online system for their ticketing and designated pick up/drop off site for their "bus station". They are designed to keep prices low for their customers by sticking to the basics, bus and bus driver. I would recommend Megabus for your next trip to a nearby city.

Ebooks

Electronic books, or better known as Ebooks, are a new trend amongst people who have a problem with paper, or just flipping pages maybe. The device that you have to buy to read an ebook can run from 100-300+ dollars. The ebooks themselves run on average about 10 dollars. To me, this design for reading books is ridiculous. Have these people never heard of a library? You can read all the books you want for free. However, I do have an Iphone, as do many people, and a growing trend is buying ebooks through the app store. I can say I've looked through the list of books and many of the classics are for free, but there is a limited amount of popular best sellers and authors. I feel the cost of an ebook reader is way over priced but since I have an Iphone I would probably buy ebooks from the app store on a limited basis. The cost of the ebooks themselves are reasonable since you should still have to pay for the content to support the author and publisher, and besides you save 5 to 10 dollars per book by not buying the physical version. I found a sales graph for ebooks and they have risen dramatically in the past 2 years. My guess is that the Iphone played a major roll in that.

Space Truckers

Space Truckers

I found this article on the NPR website about "space truckers". The idea of it is to have private companies eventually being the ones, instead of NASA, to move equipment and people back and forth from Earth and the International Space Station. At first I wasn't sure if I liked the idea of this much. Corporate America, in my mind, shouldn't be messing around in space. But, the more I looked into the design it actually seemed to make sense. The government operated NASA can spend more time and money towards exploration and science while the corporate world can compete to see who can make the best craft for two way space travel and do it more efficiently and cost effective. My concern is with the training that would be involved with operating the crafts. Would these private companies use existing astronauts to move their goods, or would they start a new training program for any qualified individual? And who would be considered a qualified individual? After looking into this change of space travel I feel it is a good idea, but needs to be very carefully done.